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Post by Question Mark on Nov 28, 2004 13:38:42 GMT -5
[glow=Blue,2,300]Well I had just bought the calendar, and I was looking through the notes on each day, when I stumbled upon June ninth. It reads this:
Nero, the emporor of Rome, commits suicide, A.D. 68, after ordering his mother clubbed to death, burning the city of Rome, and forcing much of the Mediterrannean community to listen to his singing and harp playing. I think this is too much of a coincidence. What do you guys think?[/glow]
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Post by Dante on Nov 28, 2004 13:41:45 GMT -5
[glow=Blue,2,300]Well I had just bought the calendar, and I was looking through the notes on each day, when I stumbled upon June ninth. It reads this: Nero, the emporor of Rome, commits suicide, A.D. 68, after ordering his mother clubbed to death, burning the city of Rome, and forcing much of the Mediterrannean community to listen to his singing and harp playing. I think this is too much of a coincidence. What do you guys think?[/glow] It's what we call an allusion. Basically, in the books, Daniel Handler a.k.a. Lemony Snicket makes numerous references to historical events or literary works. It's basically an inside joke with those well-versed in such matters.
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Post by Question Mark on Nov 28, 2004 13:44:57 GMT -5
It's what we call an allusion. Basically, in the books, Daniel Handler a.k.a. Lemony Snicket makes numerous references to historical events or literary works. It's basically an inside joke with those well-versed in such matters. [glow=Blue,2,300]So Daniel Handler just made it up then?[/glow]
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Post by Dante on Nov 28, 2004 13:47:19 GMT -5
[glow=Blue,2,300]So Daniel Handler just made it up then?[/glow] Made what up?
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Post by i. on Nov 28, 2004 13:51:10 GMT -5
No, Nero the emperor was real, Handler just made his fraudulent Nero based on the real Nero.
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Post by Question Mark on Nov 28, 2004 13:53:30 GMT -5
[glow=Blue,2,300]Oh ok. [/glow]
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Post by Dante on Nov 28, 2004 13:55:04 GMT -5
No, Nero the emperor was real, Handler just made his fraudulent Nero based on the real Nero. Thank you for putting into words what I was thinking.
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Post by The Wicker Man on Nov 28, 2004 14:42:43 GMT -5
I will preface this by saying that I'm NOT trying to insult Question Mark at all, but I have to sigh at just how far our educational system has fallen if people are not taught about the Roman Empire and figures like Nero, Caesar, etc. Their lives and deeds have all become part of human communication, which is deeply based in allusion.
There's a saying, "fiddling while Rome burns" which has come to mean "wasting time with unimportant distractions while important tasks get left unattended". Nero is said to have played his "fiddle" (well, actually it would have been a lyre or similar ancient instrument) while Rome was being destroyed, though there's no hard evidence of this event.
Again, Question Mark, this is not a slam on you...I just wonder what people are being taught in World History and Literature classes these days.
EDIT: I suppose he isn't really worthy of a big mention in a non-college History class, other than the fact that he was one of the last. At least at my high school, he was covered...I can't recall if he was mentioned in earlier history classes.
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Post by Dante on Nov 28, 2004 14:51:50 GMT -5
I will preface this by saying that I'm NOT trying to insult Question Mark at all, but I have to sigh at just how far our educational system has fallen if people are not taught about the Roman Empire and figures like Nero, Caesar, etc. Their lives and deeds have all become part of human communication, which is deeply based in allusion. There's a saying, "fiddling while Rome burns" which has come to mean "wasting time with unimportant distractions while important tasks get left unattended". Nero is said to have played his "fiddle" (well, actually it would have been a lyre or similar ancient instrument) while Rome was being destroyed, though there's no hard evidence of this event. Again, Question Mark, this is not a slam on you...I just wonder what people are being taught in World History and Literature classes these days. I certainly never learnt about Nero. Thank goodness for Horrible Histories.
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Post by Oreo on Nov 28, 2004 15:09:53 GMT -5
In the 2005 calendar it says in May 6: The hydrogen-filled Zepplin HINDENBURG is consumed by fire in 34 seconds at the Lakehurst Naval Air Station in New Jersey, 1937.
Well just switch zepplin with hot air balloon, and change Lakehurst Air Station with Hotel Denounment, and then change the date to ______. Does that seem familliar? Maybe the Quagmires and Hector will crash before they reach the place. Count Olaf said something in TGG like the V.F.D. submarine he stole could crash things in the air with one swat of something. So maybe the Baudelaires will see them the Quagmires will shout something and in the middle of it will get cut off by the Crash?
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Post by Dante on Nov 28, 2004 15:12:43 GMT -5
Count Olaf said something in TGG like the V.F.D. submarine he stole could crash things in the air with one swat of something. It was planes and a giant fly swatter.
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Post by The Wicker Man on Nov 28, 2004 15:18:09 GMT -5
I certainly never learnt about Nero. Thank goodness for Horrible Histories. That's really too bad. Well, I will once again thank Daniel Handler for creating a series of books so rich in subtext that they can be reread as one gains life experience and provide an entirely new experience. I think that's perhaps why there's been a debate as to whether the books are humorous or not. If you take them at face value they're quite dismal, but so much amusement comes from the many references sprinkled throughout the series. I urge anyone who hasn't already done so to check out the guide to allusions in the series... www.quidditch.com/lemony%20snicket.htm ...you might be surprised to see just how much the books contain.
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Post by i. on Nov 28, 2004 15:19:06 GMT -5
I never learnt about Nero in my school, I just read loads of books.
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Post by Alchemist on Nov 29, 2004 4:00:17 GMT -5
They never teach you fun stuff in school, at least not in my school. I had no idea about Nero and most of the other allusions until I came here.
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Post by Question Mark on Nov 29, 2004 14:18:06 GMT -5
They never teach you fun stuff in school, at least not in my school. I had no idea about Nero and most of the other allusions until I came here. [glow=Blue,2,300]Thank you for putting into words what I was thinking. [/glow]
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